Method of shaping and associating a cigarette ejecting strip with a cigarette package



Sept.'13, 1938. B. J. TAMARIN 2,129,883

7 METHOD 0F SHAPING AND ASSQCIATING A CIGARETTE EJECTING STRIP WITH A CIGARETTE PACKAGE Filed Oct. 16, 1937 v 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Berke/ d 1 7527207 12? ATTORNEY I Sept. 13,1938. B. J. TAMARIN 2,129,838

METHOD OF SHAPING AND ASSQCIATING A CIGARETTE EJECTING STRIP WITH A CIGARETTE PACKAGE Filed Oct. 16. 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented Sept. 13, 1938 UiTE' STATES PATENT OFFICE- METHOD F SHAPING AND ASSOCIATENG A CIGARETTE EJECTING STRIP WITH A CIGARETTE PACKAGE 13 Claims.

The present invention relates to a method of shaping and associating a cigarette ejecting strip with a cigarette package and the cigarettes contained therein for the production of a cigarette package of the type shown and described in my co-pending application Serial Number 140,345, filed May 3, 1937.-

The invention has for its primary object the provision of a method whereby a strip of suitable flexible material may be so shaped and associated with the seal and fiaps of a cigarette package and with the cigarettes therein, that the strip, when subjected to a pull, will perform three successful operations: first, break the seal; second,

open the flaps, and thereafter, eject the cigarettes.

Other important objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In' order that'the invention and its mode of operation'may be readily understood by those skilled in the art, I have shown in'the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference are used to designate corresponding parts, the steps which I prefer to follow in practicing the method aforesaid.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective illustrating a series of cigarette packages in the tuck stageand in position for the withdrawal of two cigarettes.

Figure 2 is a perspective illustrating the two cigarettes withdrawn from the package and the strip of material in a magazine and disposed to be forced into the package.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross section showing the cigarettes being replaced in the package and forcing a part of the strip therein.

Figures 4 to 7 inclusive are perspectives illustrating the various stages in closing and sealing the package.

Figure 8 is a perspective of a closed, sealed, I

. and finished package.

As is well known in the art, cigarettes are packaged by means of a machine which continuously operates to compactly gather a certain number of cigarettes l in symmetrical rows; form a package from a foil wrapper 2, which is wider than the length of the cigarettes so as to project beyond the tips of the latter, and from an outer label wrapper 3 which is snugly applied over the foil wrapper; tuck in the projecting portions of the foil wrapper, thus forming overlapping end flaps 4 and overlapping side fiaps 5, adapted to close the package; amx a sealing stamp over the closing flaps and adjacent sides of the outer a manner that acontinuous pull'in a single direction upon the strip will successfully: first, tear the seal; second, open the flaps; and third, eject the cigarettes. Thus the cigarettes are not sub- 10 jected to strain or mutilating actions during the unsealing and opening of the flaps.

vThe initial step of the method relates to removing one or more cigarettes from the package. For that purpose, I prefer to utilize a pair 15 of pointed pins 8, united in tweezer-like fashion, and adapted to impale the cigarettes. Each pin 8 is provided with a stop 9 which, as shown, may be in the form of a disc acting to prevent the pins 8 from penetrating into the cigarettes any 20 deeper than is necessary to efi'ect a firm anchorage and also acting as a pusher when the cigarettes are returned into the package, in the manner and for the purpose to be later specified.

It will .be understood that by slightly squeez- 25 mg the pins 8 after they have engaged the cigarettes, the same are tightly gripped and may be withdrawn from the package without disturbing the cigarettes remaining therein, accordingly leaving an open space It (Figure 3). 30

Subsequent to the removal or withdrawal of the cigarettes, a length of suitable flexible material, preferably a strip of "Cellophane" H, is placed longitudinally across the upper end of the package over the folded end flaps 4 thereof 35 so that the intermediate portion of the strip covers said open space In. In order to assure proper positioning of the strip l l, I find it advantageous to utilize a fiat tube-like magazine l2 into which is introduced the strip I I and adapted 40 to be received between the upstanding side fiaps 5 of the cigarette package.

- Formed at the intermediate portion of the magazine i2 and in the diametrically opposed fiat surfaces thereof are registering openings I3 45 having a general elliptical formation, through which the withdrawn cigarettes may pass when It will be appreciated that the mentioned variation in area may be accomplished either by increasing the circumferential area of the open space with respect to .the circumferential area of the cigarettes, or by decreasing the circum-- ferential area of the cigarettes in relation to the circumferential area of the open space- Of these two possibilities, the latter is probably the most practical and,.accordingly, I have shown herein one suitable means capable of reducing the circumferential area of the cigarettes simultaneousiy with their return to the package.

As represented in the -drawings,an elliptical shaped collar I4 is arranged upon one surface of the magazine I! and projects outwardly from the opening cut therein I3. The internal wall of the collar I4 is slightly tapered, as more clearly shown at IS in Figure 3, so that said wall will act to slightly contract the cigarettes as they'are guided into the package. Since the strip 'II is disposed within the magazine [2 and extends throughout the length thereof, it will be appreciated that a portion of said strip is exposed through the openings 13 in the magazine l2 and, therefore, when the cigarettes are passed in said openings, the exposed portion of the strip is engaged by the cigarettes and thereby forced into the opening, thus assuming a general U shape formation which constitutes a looped portion l6 and an ejecting element l'l adapted to eject the cigarettes in engagement therewith in the manner hereinafter stated.

After the cigarettes have been completely returned into the package with the portion of the strip ll forced therein; the pins 8 are withdrawn and the magazine l2 removedso that the opposite end' portions of said strip project for a distance out of the package. 'As is clearly shown in Figure 4'01 the drawings, one projecting end portion of the strip l I is longer than the other end portion and, in practice, it is desirable, in order to eliminate waste and facilitate handling, to determine the length-of the strip to be used; (with the present-day cigarette package size, I find that a strip measuring approximately 9" in length is sufiicient,) and to so dispose the openings II and collar I! that when the intermediate of glue, heat application, or otherwise, to the adjacent folded end fiap 4.

The opposed side flaps 5 are then folded-in overlapping relation to close the package, as-'' represented in- Figure 5, and the free long end of the strip II is brought back" to lie over said fiaps, as shown in Figure 6.

The sealing stamp I, which may be the usual Government tax stamp. is then placed transversely across the top of the package to coverthe closedside fiapsl, and the portion of the strip ll brought back thereover, which portion then forms an opening element IS, in the manner more fully illustrated in Figure 7.

finger tab II and is preferably folded over the stamp, the complete package then being enclosed in the "Cellophane jacket 1 which acts to maintain said finger tab l9-in position, in the mannerrepresented in Figure 8. I

From- 'the foregoing, and as is explained in detail in my co-pending application, Serial Num- The free end of the strip II is adapted to constitute aber 140,456, filed May 3, 1937, it will be understood that when it is desired to open a cigarette package made in accordance with the invention, the Cellophane jacket I is first opened, then by gripping the finger tab is -and pulling it lengthwise in the general direction indicated by the arrow A in Figure 'l, the opening element l8 of the strip H tears the sealing stamp 6 and opens the flaps. A continued pull on the strip H gradually straightens out the loop portion l6 of the ejecting element l1 and thereafter causes the cigarettes in engagement therewith to slide out of the package so that the ejected cigarettes may be readily taken out for use.

- It will be understood that after the cigarettes ejected by my combined opener and ejector are removed, the strip ll may be discarded, but ready access may be had to the remaining cigarettes because, with the removal of the ejected cigarettes, the tightness of the package is relieved so that said remaining cigarettes become free. For the purpose of facilitating the severing of the strip H from the package, a tearing notch may be cut in one edge of said strip adjacent the securing tab I8, as shown at 10 in Figure 4 of the drawings.

What I claim is: 1. The herein described method, consisting of removing cigarettes from the package, laying the intermediate portion of a flexible strip across the opening formed by the removal of the cigarettes, attaching one end of the strip to the cigarette package, contacting the strip with the removed.

7 age, laying a flexible stri-p across the opening formed by the removal of the cigarettes, contacting said strip with the removed cigarettes, then returning the cigarettes into the opening and, simultaneously therewith, forcing the intermediate portion of the strip into the opening, and convoluting one end portion of the strip under and over certain of the flaps and under the seal of the cigarette package.

3. The herein described method, consisting of removing one or more cigarettes from the package, iaying a flexible strip across the opening formed by the removal of the cigarettes, contacting said strip *with the removed cigarettes, then returning the cigarettes into the opening and, simultaneously therewith, forcing the intermediate portion of the strip into the opening,

.con voluting one end portion, of the strip under and over certain of thefiaps and-under the seal of .the cigarette package, and permanently attaching one end portion of the strip to the cigarette package.

4. The herein described method which consists of removing cigarettes from the package, to form an opening in the cigarette package, laying a flexible strip across said opening, changing the relative relationship of the size of the withdrawn cigarettes and theopening formed 2 one end portion of the strip under and over cer-' tain of the flaps and under the seal of the cigarette package.

s. m herein described method hi h consists 7s amaeee of removing cigarettes from the package, to form an opening in the cigarette package, laying a strip across said opening, changing the relative relationship of the circumferential areas of the cigarettes and of the open space formed by their removal, simultaneously therewith contacting the removed cigarettes with the strip and forcing the same into said opening, convoluting a portion of said strip under and above certain of the flaps and under the seal and exposing the extreme end portion of the strip, and firmly attaching the other end portion to the cigarette package.

6. The herein described method comprising: withdrawing a number of cigarettes from. the package, thereby leaving an open space therein,

placing a strip of flexible material over the packpackage, thereby leaving an open space therein;

placing a strip of flexible material over the package so that its intermediate portion covers said open space; changing the circumferential areas of the withdrawn cigarettes and of the open space formed by their removal; contacting the withdrawn cigarettes with the intermediate portion of the strip and, simultaneously therewith, returning the cigarettes into said space, thereby forcing the intermediate portion of the strip within the package, and sealing one end portion of the strip to the package.

8. The herein described method of shaping and associating a cigarette ejecting strip with a cigarette package having closed end flaps and opened side flaps comprising: withdrawing a number of cigarettes from the package, thereby leaving an open space therein; placing a strip of flexible material over the closed end flaps of the package so that the intermediate portion of the strip covers said open space; reducing the circumferential area of the withdrawn cigarettes; contacting the withdrawn cigarettes with the intermediate portion of the strip and, simultaneously therewith, returning the cigarettes into said space, thereby forcing the intermediate portion of the strip within the package.

9. The herein described method of shaping and associating a cigarette ejecting strip with a cigarette package having closed end flaps and opened side flaps comprising: withdrawing a number of cigarettes from the package, thereby leaving an open space therein; placing a strip of flexible material over the closed end flaps of the package so that the intermediate portion of the strip covers said open space; reducing the circumferential area of the withdrawn cigarettes; contacting the withdrawn cigarettes with the intermediate portion of the strip, simultaneously therewith reducing the cigarettes into said space, thereby forcing the intermediate portion of the strip within the package; fixing one end portion of the strip to the package; folding the side flaps to close-the package; folding the free end ,por-

tion of the strip over the folded side flaps; applying a seal over the side flaps to enclose a part of the folded free end portion of the strip; folding the remaining part of the folded portion of the strip back over the seal; and enclosing the entire package in an outer jacket to maintain said last mentioned folded part of the strip in position.

10. The method of packaging cigarettes comprising: enclosing a quantity of cigarettes in a package having a pair of end flaps and a pair of side flaps; folding the end flaps; withdrawing a number of cigarettes from the package; placing a strip of flexible material over the folded end flaps so that the intermediate portion of said strip covers the opening formed by the withdrawal of the cigarettes; reducing the circumferential area of the withdrawn cigarettes; contacting the withdrawn cigarettes with the intermediate portion of the strip end, simultaneously therewith, returning the cigarettes into said space, thereby forcing the intermediate portion of the strip within the package; and folding the side flaps to close the package.

11. The method of packaging cigarettes comprising: enclosing a quantity of cigarettes in a package having a pair of end flaps and a pair of side flaps; folding the end flaps; withdrawing a number of cigarettes from the package; placing a strip of flexible material over the folded end flaps so' that the intermediate portion of said strip covers the opening formed by the withdrawal of the cigarettes; reducing the circumferential area of the cigarettes, contacting the withdrawn cigarettes with the intermediate portion of the strip and, simultaneously therewith, returning the strip within the package; folding the side flaps to close the package; folding a portion of the strip over the folded side flaps; applying a seal over the side flaps to enclose a part of the folded portion of the strip; and folding the remaining part of the strip back overthe seal to form a pulling tab.

12. The herein described method, consisting of removing cigarettes from the package; laying the intermediate portion of a flexible strip across the opening formed by the removal of the cigarettes; attaching one end of the strip to the cigarette package; forcing the intermediate portion of the strip into said opening; returning the removed cigarettes into the opening in contact with the portion of the strip therein; and looping the other end portion of the strip under and over certain of the flaps of the cigarette package and under the seal of the package.

13. The herein described method-which consists in removing cigarettes from the package to form an opening in the cigarette package; laying a flexible strip across said opening; changing the relative relationship of the circumferential areas 

